Robert L. MeyerPresident and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Robert L. “Bob” Meyer serves as Chief Executive Officer for Phoenix Children’s, recognized as a leading children’s hospital for its high volume and quality care. Phoenix Children’s is one of the country’s largest and busiest children’s hospitals, with 433 licensed beds and a medical staff of nearly 1,000 practitioners across 75 pediatric specialties.

Under his leadership, the organization has clarified its vision for quality, growth and integration. With a focus on bringing care closer to home, Phoenix Children’s has grown from a single campus to offer services in a dozen clinical locations statewide and growing.

The entity’s inpatient, outpatient, emergency, trauma and urgent care services have been recognized as a "Best Children’s Hospital" by U.S. News & World Report, and by The Leapfrog Group, a coalition of employers who use the collective leverage of their large healthcare purchasing power to structure their insurance contracts to reward the highest performing hospitals. Phoenix Children’s is one of only 13 they named a "Top Children’s Hospital."

Through a strategic alliance with Dignity Health Arizona, Phoenix Children’s serves as the pediatric affiliate of Dignity’s four Arizona hospitals. Meyer championed clinical integration and the establishment of Phoenix Children’s Care Network, Arizona’s only physician-led pediatric clinically integrated network. PCCN now features nearly 700 pediatric providers focused on delivering the highest quality care while managing the cost of care.

Meyer’s commitment to pediatric medical research and education is clear. Phoenix Children’s has a growing genomic research emphasis, having recently established the Chan Soon-Shiong Children’s Precision Medicine Institute. The Hospital also serves as the Department of Child Health for the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix. A robust residency program and growing fellowship offerings are equipping the next generation of pediatricians and specialists.

Meyer joined Phoenix Children’s in 2003, taking over the leadership of current operations and future growth for Phoenix Children’s, Phoenix Children’s Medical Group and the Phoenix Children’s Foundation.

Previously, Meyer served as Vice President and National Director for Health Strategy Practice for Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, based in Irvine, Calif. As a consultant, he was tapped by Phoenix Children's to stabilize the organization and cast a vision for future growth following a challenging chapter in the hospital’s history. During a tenure as interim CEO, Meyer is credited for the rapid and significant turnaround of the hospital's finances and operations, and in the permanent role he has been heralded for his strong operational and financial management skills, ability to unify diverse constituencies and his strategic focus to realize the vision and mission of the hospital and advance pediatric healthcare in Arizona.

Meyer earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan, and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1981.

David HigginsonExecutive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer

David Higginson joined Phoenix Children's in 2011 as the Chief Information Officer (CIO). As CIO, he oversaw all aspects of information and technology strategy, execution and design of systems implementation and growth and maintenance of the technology infrastructure. As Chief Administrative Officer, David is responsible for Information Technology, Process Optimization and Marketing and Materials Management. In addition, he is responsible for executive oversight of the Chan Soon-Shiong Children’s Precision Medicine Institute at Phoenix Children’s.

Higginson is also an innovator and entrepreneur. He successfully launched and developed his own healthcare software company, commercialized numerous innovations into patents and successful products and is passionate about process improvement and operational efficiency. He speaks regularly at children’s hospital and healthcare IT conferences on the evolving role of technology as the efficiency platform that underpins care delivery, and the importance of the IT team as leaders of operational change.

Prior to taking his position at Phoenix Children’s, Higginson was Chief Information Technology Officer at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) in Little Rock. During his tenure at ACH, he implemented more than 500 systems and was instrumental in building the IT department as the hospital doubled in size. In 2016, Higginson was named "CHIME Innovator of the Year" and was awarded AZ Top Tech’s "CIO of the Year" in 2017.

After obtaining his degree in accounting/finance from University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom, he qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant in 1994 while working as an investment analyst in London. At the age of 10, he began developing computer systems, and he combined his keen interest in computing with his financial expertise when he developed systems for Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) and the UK’s Royal Mail.

Betsy KuzasExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Betsy Kuzas has more than 20 years of industry experience with a concentration in consulting. She was a Senior Manager with Capgemini (formerly Ernst & Young) in heathcare management consulting. Specific areas of experience and demonstrated results include strategic planning, operational improvement and enterprise turnaround, ranging from strategic agenda development, program and services planning/growth development, operations assessments and implementation. Betsy was the Project Director for the Capgemini turnaround at Phoenix Children's Hospital. Following Capgemini, she was the Senior Vice President, Clinical Services at Beth Israel Medical Center–Continuum Health Partners, Inc.

Currently as Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, her responsibilities include patient care organization, professional services, support services and construction. She is currently responsible for the master facility plan, including the $538-million Expansion Campus project and satellite development. Her accomplishments to date include implementation of the hospital's satellite strategy – specifically design, construction, operating budget and go-live – performance turnaround of outsourced Support Services, and assembling the team for the Master Facility Plan by developing an in-house Planning Design and Construction model, and implementation of the Thomas Campus Master Plan.

Betsy earned an MBA at Baldwin Wallace College, MT (ASCP) – University Hospital Heath System of Cleveland, and a BA from Miami University of Ohio.

Douglas T. MyersExecutive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Douglas Myers is charged with providing expert counsel regarding the financial performance of Phoenix Children’s Hospital and strategies for its growth and development. This position leads the accounting and financial management functions and has oversight of all financial reporting systems and controls to safeguard the financial health of Phoenix Children’s. His functional responsibilities include treasury, revenue cycle, accounting, patient financial services, budgeting, auditing and financial analysis/decision support.

Prior to joining Phoenix Children’s, Myers was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. While there, he helped create and establish the successful renegotiation of several major Managed Care agreements, with anticipated increase in net revenue of 47 multi-million dollars per year once fully implemented. Prior to that, he was the Executive Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer at Children’s National Medical Center and Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland.

Myers earned a BBA from Youngstown State University in 1983 and a MBA from Loyola College in 1990. Additionally, he attended the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business Executive Leadership Program and holds Certified Public Accountant licensure in Ohio and Texas.

Craig McKnightExecutive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer

As Chief Strategy Officer, Craig McKnight is responsible for the development, analysis and recommendation regarding new service delivery opportunities for pediatric healthcare in Arizona. With more than 35 years’ experience in healthcare management, McKnight is charged with representing Phoenix Children’s Hospital in complex negotiations with potential and existing strategic partners, cultivating long-term relationships with managed care networks. He also oversees the Phoenix Children’s Care Network, a pediatric-dedicated clinically integrated organization.

McKnight transitioned to this role following his service as Phoenix Children’s Chief Financial Officer from 2010–2017 during a challenging healthcare climate. McKnight successfully led the financial health of Phoenix Children’s, which has seen increases in net revenue, annual operating income and cash reserves through organizational process optimization and efficiency initiatives, all of which goes to support the expansion Phoenix Children’s has undertaken to meet the community’s healthcare needs.

McKnight earned his BS in Accounting from Brigham Young University, is a chartered Global Management Accountant and is an active member of Healthcare Financial Management Association. He achieved "CFO of the Year" in 2012 by Financial Executives International and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 by the Phoenix Business Journal.He was named on the Hospital and Health System "CFOs to Know" in 2015, and in 2017 by Becker’s Hospital Review. McKnight is an avid motorcyclist, and is active in motorcycle ride fundraisers in support of the hospital.

Carmen Neuberger, J.D., joined Phoenix Children’s Hospital as General Counsel in 2007. As Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Neuberger is responsible for managing the legal environment at Phoenix Children’s. This includes providing legal guidance across the enterprise, developing hospital-wide policies and procedures, counseling the hospital on business transactions and managing complex contractual relationships and affiliations. As the General Counsel, Neuberger is responsible for overseeing legal affairs, risk management, compliance/privacy and government relations.

Neuberger graduated cum laude with a BS in Nursing from Duke University. She worked as a critical care nurse for five years before earning her law degree at the George Washington University National Law Center in Washington, D.C.

Neuberger comes to Phoenix Children’s with more than 20 years of experience in healthcare law. She started her legal career with eight years in private practice and then joined the Georgetown University Office of University Counsel. She most recently served as Senior Corporate Counsel for MedStar Health, a complex tri-state healthcare system based in the Mid-Atlantic region and composed of nine hospitals and approximately 30,000 employees. Neuberger has served as an adjunct faculty member for the Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies, is an active member of the American Bar Association and the American Health Lawyers Association and is admitted to practice in Arizona, Virginia and Washington, D.C. In 2015, she was named the Arizona "Non-Profit Attorney of the Year" by the Association of Corporate Counsel.

Dr. Ostlie also provides administrative and clinical leadership to four clinical program centers that encompass multiple divisions. These include the hospitalists and critical care program, the neurosciences institute, and the heart center. He remains committed to education and research, and has administrative oversight for both the research and educational endeavors at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Prior to joining Phoenix Children’s, Dr. Ostlie served as Surgeon-in-Chief at American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, WI, and held Professor of Surgery and Professor of Pediatrics positions at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Ostlie completed his residency in general surgery at Mayo Clinic Scottsdale from 1995 to 2000, during which time he also spent one year as a research fellowship at Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK. After general surgery residency, he completed his pediatric surgery fellowship and surgical critical care fellowship at Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, where he stayed on, starting as a staff surgeon. During his 10 years with the institution, he rose through numerous leadership roles, including vice chair of the Department of Surgery and program director of both the Pediatric Surgery Residency and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship. Dr. Ostlie and his wife have immediate family in the Phoenix area and are excited to continue their support of the communities and children of the Valley.

Michael Ritchey, MDChief Medical Officer

Michael Ritchey, MD, earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine. Upon graduation, he completed his internship and urology residency at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center and pediatric urology fellowship at Mayo Clinic. He has held faculty positions in urologic surgery at University of Michigan and University of Texas Health Science Center where he served as Chairman of the Department of Urology.

Dr. Ritchey moved to Phoenix in 2005, where he began his career caring for Arizona children with urological conditions. In addition to being former co-Division Chief of the Division of Urology at Phoenix Children's, he is currently a Professor of Urology at Mayo Clinic Arizona and Creighton University. He is Professor of Child Health at University of Arizona College of Medicine. In the role of Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ritchey will lead patient safety and quality across Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Phoenix Children’s Medical Group. Dr. Ritchey will also be responsible for supervision of the Medical Staff office and will lead ongoing efforts to provide the best clinical care for patients and families.

Jodi Carter, MDChief Clinical Integration Officer

After growing up in Phoenix, Jodi Carter, MD, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University in Washington DC. She returned to Arizona for medical school and earned her medical degree from the University of Arizona. She then completed a pediatric internship and residency at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire in 2003.

Dr. Carter joined Phoenix Children’s as a hospitalist in 2007 and is currently an assistant professor of pediatrics at both the University of Arizona College of Medicine and the Creighton University School of Medicine. From 2010-2016, Dr. Carter served as medical director for the Utilization Review at Phoenix Children’s. In January 2017, she became medical director for Phoenix Children’s Care Network, Arizona’s only pediatric, clinically-integrated network.

In the role of Chief Clinical Integration Officer, Dr. Carter will focus on integration efforts across all Phoenix Children’s entities and community partners, working to align our population health strategies, including patient safety and quality, care coordination and payer contracting.

Page BachmanSenior Vice President, Human Resources

Page Bachman joined Phoenix Children's Hospital as Senior Vice President of Human Resources in 2017. Bachman is responsible for developing and managing all HR products and services while also playing a vital role in Phoenix Children’s leadership council. He is a strategic thinker who lives by example and demonstrates his ability to provide sage, experienced advice and handle sensitive issues. He values the importance of his strategic role in building trust and confidence between senior leaders, physicians and staff.

Prior to joining Phoenix Children’s, Bachman was Vice President of Human Resources for the Kansas/Oklahoma region consisting of two health systems: St. John Health System and Via Christi Health. While there, he oversaw all elements of HR in the region and provided counsel and support to executive leadership teams at both locations. He served as a trusted advisor to two health system CEOs, and facilitated transition to the health system’s first non-religious CEO.

Bachman earned his BA in Economics from Syracuse University in 1988 and earned a law degree from the New England School of Law in Boston in 1997.

Prior to joining Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Julie Bowman was the Chief Nursing Officer at Havasu Regional Medical Center in Lake Havasu City, AZ. Under Julie’s leadership, Havasu Regional implemented key initiatives that led to many improvements, including work design processes that resulted in the accomplishment of Meaningful Use Stage 1 achievement, increased employee satisfaction, top box patient satisfaction scores, a 30% improvement of “on time” starts in the OR and reductions of hospital acquired conditions.

Prior to her career at Havasu Regional Medical Center, Julie was the Chief Nursing Officer at Lima Memorial Hospital in Lima, OH, where she was responsible for all facets of patient care for a 320 licensed bed acute care hospital. During her 29-year tenure at Lima, she was instrumental for the start-up of the hospital’s open heart program and leading the team to the Society of Chest Pain Accreditation status. Julie’s area of leadership and clinical expertise in the critical care field is extensive as evidenced by the experience and knowledge she has gained from her various roles as an ICU staff nurse, Clinical Educator of Critical Care, Director of Critical Care and Administrative Director of Nursing.

Chad Johnson joined Phoenix Children’s as Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Phoenix Children’s Care Network in January 2015. Mr. Johnson formerly served as the Chief Executive Officer at Children’s Health Network in Minneapolis, MN, a role he had held since February 2012. Prior to moving into the CEO role, Chad supported Children’s Hospitals and Clinics with their Strategy and Business Development efforts from July 2006 to February 2012. He has also supported numerous healthcare organizations through a consulting firm he founded in 1999 specializing in program management and healthcare strategy.

Dr. Muenzer joined Phoenix Children’s Hospital in 2012 and currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Phoenix Children’s Medical Group (PCMG). He is responsible for the overall operations of more than 300 employed physicians and providers. He also spearheads the development, communication and implementation of effective growth strategies and process improvement for the medical group and associated service lines. Dr. Muenzer will continue to strengthen the operations and performance of PCMG in addition to pursuing new contracting strategies in alignment with the overall strategic plan for Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Prior to this position, Dr. Muenzer, served in the division of Emergency Medicine as a physician. He has also served as Medical Director of Phoenix Children's Medical Group, Associate Director of the Emergency Department, Program Director of the Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship program and Vice President of the Medical Staff.

Terrence L. Stull, MDSenior Vice President of Research and Chief Research Officer

Dr. Stull has overall executive management responsibility for developing, coordinating and stimulating research activity, and ensuring that our research infrastructure supports our investigators. His role includes enhancing external funding and ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, and he works with leaders across Phoenix Children's Hospital to recruit and develop scientific talent. Dr. Stull will work with our community and academic partners to build pediatric research not only at Phoenix Children's but across the region.

Dr. Stull has been the Chair of Pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma from 1994 to 2016, and he built a superb department that excels in providing care, teaching and research. He has maintained a funded research laboratory throughout his career, and he moved his personal research mission to Phoenix Children's. Dr. Stull graduated from the University of Alabama in Birmingham School of Medicine. He then completed a pediatric residency at Stanford and a pediatric infectious disease fellowship at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Dr. Stull is a member of various professional societies, including the American Pediatric Society, Society for Pediatric Research and Infectious Disease Society of America. He has participated in research throughout his career, is a frequent invited speaker and has published more than 200 articles, chapters, reports, commentaries and abstracts.

Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation Executives

Steve SchnallSenior Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Foundation

Steven Schnall has served Phoenix Children's Hospital since 1983. In his current role as Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer of Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation, Steve provides strategic leadership for all aspects of philanthropy for the Hospital. Under his direction, the Foundation has led numerous successful campaigns that supported development of Phoenix Children's. A 5-year, $250M funding initiative has been focused on building a world-class children's hospital.

Steve's prior roles at Phoenix Children's included Vice President, Business Development and Outreach where his responsibilities included strategic planning, marketing and public relations, community relations, physician relations and grants. He has also served as Vice President, Ambulatory Services and additional administrative posts for the hospital.

Steve is a graduate of Arizona State University where he received a BA in Psychology. He received his MA in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix.

Tim Harrison is the Vice President, Corporate Partnerships and Special Events for Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation, providing senior-level strategic planning and leadership around Corporate Development, Account Management and the Special Events departments.

Prior to joining Phoenix Children’s as the Director of Cause Related marketing, Tim held leadership roles in media sales and the restaurant industry in both the US and Europe. Additional non-profit experience includes serving as a Director for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Tim is a native of England and graduated from the University of Brighton with a BA in International Hospitality Management.

Kelly LaneVice President, Foundation Operations, Foundation

Kelly Lane began her career at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation in 1999, as one of the first members of the management team established to lead strategic efforts to build Arizona’s first free-standing children’s hospital. Since that time, she’s had an illustrious career serving in multiple leadership roles specializing in program development and business management. Today, Kelly is still devoted as the Vice President of Foundation Operations at the Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation.

In this role, she leads the Foundation's communications, donor relations, research and development services functions, and is a member of the hospital’s senior leadership team. Kelly brings more than 25 years' experience in executive leadership, strategic development and marketing communications. Prior to joining the Foundation, her career was focused in the financial services industry, where she led the operations division for Wells Fargo Bank Arizona. Kelly has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Organizational Development from Western International University, where she graduated magna cum laude. She is a Certified Fundraising Executive and speaks nationally on topics pertaining to non-profit business development.